Die Errinerung: Like Dreams, They Fade
by serialzero
Summary: A mysterious new professor brings dark secrets with him that threaten to turn not only Hogwarts, but indeed, the entire world upside down. Contains strong language and shounen-ai. Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER.
1. C1: Enter The Dragon, Part 1

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Admittedly, this is another self-indulgent tale involving OC's based on myself and my writing partner Brittanee.

However, I guarantee this is no ordinary, poorly planned mary sue saga. We spent countless months just writing the outline for this so that we could get what we want AND make it work within the confines of the Harry Potter universe.

The story begins where The Order Of The Phoenix left off, so this is basically The Half-Blood Prince as reconstructed through our ideals, while still maintaining a few of the original book and movie premises.

Each story is a whole on its own, but for anyone interested in experiencing it from both character's unique experiences, Brittanee's can be found at (/u/1034490/LeetaSlytherin) under the title "Dragon's Blood".

That being said, ENJOY!

Oh, and if you don't approve of homosexuality, I suggest you bugger off and go find some baby-making crapfic to entertain yourself, because we're sure as hell not going to do it for you.

*****

CHAPTER ONE: Enter The Dragon, Part 1

1st week of September

Playlist: "Aeroplane Flies High" by The Smashing Pumpkins

A thick, seething miasma of smoke and fog was blasting across the barren landscape, threatening to uproot the long-dead plantlife dotting the sickly yellow grass. Though no sunlight showed through the polluted haze hanging low in the sky, the heat was nonetheless suffocating, and permeated the air with oppressive abandon.

Then, all at once, the winds stilled and night fell, transforming the smoke and fog into a black mist reminiscent of swamp sludge. Slowly, fingers of pale, ghostly light filtered through, illuminating the ground just as a dark, swirling circle of energy began taking shape amongst a patch of withered flowers.

That's when a young man appeared, looking disheveled and a bit disoriented as the dark energy dissipated, seeming to deposit him out of nowhere.

"Bloody hell." He huffed, pausing to brush a few strands of hair aside to clear his vision. His eyes widened as they met with the environment. It was a deathly-still landscape, painted in ebony and lavender, devoid of life.

The boy let his hand drop away from his face, which allowed his autumn-colored locks to resume their hanging position. "Great." He drew out sarcastically. "Just my luck. My moment of glory RUINED by a goddamn Edward Gorey painting."

His expression grew sour, but quickly changed back to anxiety as a sharp crack sounded just over his head. He pivoted half a step and angled his gaze upward to see that he was standing under a gigantic tree, its branches looming over him like a prison fence. The young redhead blinked a few times in succession, then let out the nervous breath he had been holding in, which became visible in the rapidly-chilling air.

Another cracking sound exploded in his ears, causing him to jump. Then another, this time accompanied by the sudden onset of frost at the base of the tree. It created a creeping pattern up the length of the trunk as it grew.

The boy shrunk in stature as he huddled over, hugging his shoulders for warmth. He watched with a purse-lipped frown as the ice traveled the length of the large branch directly over his head and came to rest at the tip. A terrible groaning noise ensued, followed by what sounded like a thick rope straining under an enormous weight.

The young man gasped slightly, then swallowed, attempting to maintain a calm breathing pattern. "All right, Ron. Don't panic." He muttered to himself. "It's just a stupid dream."

Something howled in the distance, whether from something living or otherwise, he couldn't immediately tell, but it frightened him nonetheless. He squeezed both eyes shut and cradled his forehead with one hand, groaning. "You'll wake up, and be back in the drudgery that is your normal, boring, pathetically fruitless existence. It'll be OK."

There was a thud. Then another, and another. Ron soon realized that it was his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest, and that for the past minute or so, had been the only sound being made in the eerie quietude that had descended upon him while he was distracted with his own ramblings.

Cursing himself mentally for what he expected to be a bad move, he forced himself to open his eyes.

And that's when he came face to face with a dark figure hovering immediately before him, with a face as hollow as the dead.

*****

"Ron! Ron, wake up!"

The young redhead came to realize he was screaming aloud, and when he choked it off, the echo could be heard all the way down the corridors of Gryffindor Hall. When the face of his raven-haired friend finally came into focus, he breathed a sigh of relief, then covered his eyes with one arm and groaned.

"Bad dream, I take it?" Harry remarked dryly.

"Brilliant deduction, Professor Potter." Ron spat back wearily, "How long did it take you to work that one out?"

"Good morning to you too." Harry replied with a smirk, flinching slightly as he adjusted his glasses, as the bruise from his fight with Draco was still fresh. "Want to tell me what it was about?"

"Dunno, really." The redhead sighed, throwing his arm out to the side and squinting, "All I know is that I was about to win the Quidditch Cup, everything goes blue, and I get transported to some wonky wasteland with some creepy floating dead guy."

Harry scrunched his face up, and eased himself into a sitting position at the end of the bed.

"It was weird though." Ron continued, sitting up a bit himself, "It felt like… I was completely alone, even with that man there. But not just that…" He paused, licking his lips in concentration, "It felt like I was the only person who ever existed, you know?"

The black-haired boy locked eyes with his friend, then shook his head apologetically.

"Never mind." Ron sulked, casting his bedcovers aside, "It's not important. Just a stupid dream anyway."

"Did you hear?! Did you hear?!"

Suddenly, a slack-faced, gangly youth came running into the sleeping quarters, waving his hands excitedly.

Ron scowled. "What is it, Neville?"

"We've got a new professor!"

Harry's eyebrows collided with each other. "And so?" He asked expectantly, "We get new professors all the time. Why's this one got you so excited?"

"He's a dragon-trainer!" The brunette exclaimed breathlessly, "They say he's brought a bunch of 'em with him, and he's gonna let us ride one!"

"You're kidding!" The bespectacled youth exclaimed in disbelief, "Are you talking about the bloke who was asleep at opening ceremonies?"

Neville nodded vigorously, waited exactly two seconds, and was once again rocketing down the halls of Hogwarts, presumably in search of said professor. Ron and Harry exchanged a single glance, and soon followed suit.

*****

URASAI!

(Urasai means "behind the scenes of Saiyuki". There will be one at the end of every posting if I can help it, as kind of an added humor bonus. Or my approximation of humor, anyway. '^^)

Ron Weasley surveyed the bleak landscape, promptly jumping as a boom sounded behind him. He spun around, and was immediately confronted with a ghastly figure.

"SWEET ZOMBIE JESUS!" He exclaimed, fumbling around in his pockets. Soon, he fished out a rather large camera and pointed it at the apparition. "Suck on THIS, motherfucker!"

Bellowing, the ghost splintered into multiple blue globules, and was absorbed into the device. The redhead blew out a relieved breath, then paused to check the statistics on his photograph.

DUDE WITH NO EYES, 4000 POINTS.

"Sweet. Now I can buy that upgrade."


	2. C2: Enter The Dragon, Part 2

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I'm aware that my use of periods and commas during dialogue is atrocious, and for that, I apologize. Still haven't gotten the hang of those rules yet.

*****

CHAPTER TWO: Enter The Dragon, Part 2

1st week of September

Playlist: "Shinobi VS Dragon Ninja" by Lostprophets

Harry and Ron were clipping down the hallway at a fairly good speed in search of their quarry, and as they rounded a corner, they nearly collided with an all-too-familiar face.

"Hey, guys. What's got you too in such a rush?"

"Oh, hey Hermione." Harry halted himself immediately and gave the girl an embarrassed grin. Meanwhile, his red-headed companion was backtracking to join them, having overshot the mark by about seven steps. "We were just seeing if we could find the new professor we heard about, that's all." He continued, shifting his weight slightly.

"You mean the dragon-trainer?" Hermione crinkled her forehead, frowning.

"Yeah." Ron returned her sour expression with one of his own as he caught up with them. "Wouldn't happen to know what he looks like, would you?"

The young woman furrowed her eyebrows. "Actually, nobody does. He was asleep when Dumbledore tried to introduce him, remember?"

"Hm, and here I thought you were supposed to know everything." Ron replied with an air of exaggerated indignancy, before cracking into a wide grin and motioning for his racing companion to rejoin him in their pursuit.

Harry flashed Hermione a tight-lipped smile and began to follow. Half a second later, however, the three of them stopped to crane their necks towards a familiar voice.

"You're not supposed to smoke on school grounds, you know."

A petulant-looking boy with blonde hair had entered the courtyard outside the hall, flanked by two decidedly thicker youths, his arrogance-laden voice carrying high above the other students in his general area.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione shared a collective sigh, and turned their heads to seek the focus of the boy's attention. That's when they spotted an older student dressed in a rather upscale black-and-gold-trimmed school uniform, sans the robe, sitting on one of the courtyard benches. From his height, they surmised him to be a seventh-year.

He was indeed, smoking a cigarette, but for the time being, was ignoring the blonde's remarks.

"Didn't you hear me?" The blonde continued, sneering, "If you don't want any trouble with the headmaster, you'd best put that out."

"Malfoy." Harry spat bitterly, "He won't be happy until everyone's in detention."

"Or dead from aggravation." Ron chimed in, rolling his eyes.

"Who's that older student?" Hermioned asked aloud, squinting her eyes, "Have any of you seen him before?"

"Dunno." Harry shrugged, "Maybe he's a transfer. We get a few of those every year."

In the courtyard, the man in question was slowly lifting his head in response to Draco's persistent threats. His fire-red bangs parted to reveal a pair of glinting green eyes. At length, he took the cigarette from his lips and cracked into a wide grin, before finally rising to his feet. Once fully standing, however, his face quickly reverted back to that of stone, which rattled his blonde persecutor slightly.

"You… want me to put this out, do you?" The older boy enunciated methodically, using the middle and index fingers of his free hand to push up his glasses.

"That's right, Four Eyes." Draco snipped, attempting to reassert his superiority by snapping his fingers. "You might want to remember who's side you want to be on around here."

"Ah, indeed!" The redhead replied, flashing a toothy smile and thrusting his free hand towards Draco, palm up. "Well met! Then let us shake on this new alliance, Prince of Hogwarts."

The blonde shyed away at first, masking his uncertainty with a well-timed sneer. Finally, he drummed up what remaining bravado he had, adopted his best little-lord-fauntleroy stance, and extended his hand in return. "Good." He began, his mouth curled into a smug grin. "I'm glad we-"

In the next instant, Draco snapped his hand back in horror as the cherry of the older boy's cigarette came within millimeters of scorching his fingertips as it came to a sizzling stop in the older boy's open palm.

Many of the students' eyes went wide in astonishment, others merely stood with jaws agape. Draco himself squealed slightly, his voice bordering on falsetto. "You're mental!" He exclaimed, cradling his phantom injury. "When Dumbledore hears about this-"

In a flash, the redhead had Draco by the collar, forcing their faces to within an inch of each other. "Now you listen to ME, you snot-nosed little ass-kisser." He hissed, barely moving his lips, "Your good looks just earned you a get-out-of-jail-free card, but after that, you don't have much to offer, do you?"

Draco blanched, his face frozen in fear.

"And I swear to Saint Corgan, if you ever, and I mean EVER make me waste another perfectly good drag, I will smear your testicles with zebra meat and LET THE LIONS HAVE YOU, AM I MAKING MYSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR, BLONDIE?!"

A hush fell over the courtyard as the echos from the boy's bellowing dissipated.

After a few moments, Draco gave a weak nod, and was generously deposited onto his backside as the mystery student's hand unlatched itself.

"Good, I'm glad we got that settled."

Every slack-jawed witness turned their head once again to watch the redhead exit, and as he dissapeared from sight, Ron swallowed and eased himself into an amused grin.

"Brilliant."

*****

"He's going to get in SO much trouble." Hermione laughed, upping the speed of her steps to catch up with her friends as they made their way to the scheduling office some time later.

"That new student?" Harry asked, stuffing both hands in his pockets. "How do you figure?"

"Well, that's obvious, isn't it?" The girl replied, flicking her eyes up in the better part of a roll. "Draco's still going to snitch on him. Or one of the other students is going to say something about it. Either way you can be sure HE'S definitely getting detention tonight."

"I dunno, I think the other students got a kick out of it, really." Her black-haired friend replied, grinning.

"It's a shame we couldn't find that professor." Ron sighed, breaking up the conversation. "Suppose we'll see him if we get in on that class, though. God, I really hope we do."

"Didn't know that sort of thing interested you." Hermione frowned.

"Of course it does." Ron sulked, furrowing his eyebrows, "My brother Charlie worked with them in Romania."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Harry interjected, attempting to break up any possible emotional skirmishes. "Sounds pretty advanced, so I'm sure we'll at least get an introductory session. I doubt they'd show dragons to the first years, they'd probably wet their trousers."

Ron and Hermione lapsed into defeated chuckles as they approached what was no doubt, the crowd awaiting announcement on the dragon-riding class. And sure enough, McGonagall was leading the herd. Presently, she lifted both arms to quiet the chattering masses.

"Attention, students! It is my pleasure to announce that the sixth and seventh years will be attending our anticipated dragon-riding class."

A mixture of excitement and disappointment rippled through the masses, and the wizened professor did her best to quiet them down before continuing.

"If all the junior students would please, wait patiently outside, I will get to you all momentarily. For now, if all the seniors could come forward, I will give you instructions on where to go and at what time. Now…"

"Heh, sixth and seventh years, she says." Harry murmured, leaning in towards Ron. "Guess that means we'll be having class with that redheaded nutter, doesn't it?" He finished up with a smile.

Ron returned the expression with a sideways smirk of his own. "With our luck, the professor's crazier than he is."

"We can only hope." Hermione muttered, sighing. "He'd have to be to put up with you lot."

*****

URASAI!

"Hey, Draco! Catch!"

The mysterious redheaded student tossed the object high, and it was caught deftly with one hand by the blonde in question.

Seconds later, the object exploded, bathing the boy in brightly-burning flame. His screams could be heard down the corridors as he fled the scene, arms flailing.

"What the hell did you throw at him?" A nearby student asked.

"It's just candy." The redhead replied, shrugging.

"Jesus, what kind?"

"A fireball."

(It's 8:30 in the morning and I'm on an insomnia streak. This is the best I could come up with. Sue me.)


	3. C3: DragonRiding 101

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Gah, this chapter's a lot shorter than I thought it was going to be.

Ah well, I guess this way, I can trick myself into thinking I'm being REALLY productive if I end up being able to churn 'em out faster. XD

*****

CHAPTER THREE: Dragon-Riding 101

1st week of September

Playlist: "Open Your Eyes" by Guano Apes

"Don't you think it's a bit strange we're having our class orientation out here?" Ron remarked as he and his schoolmates arrived at the Quidditch training field.

"Well, what did you expect?" Hermione snorted, "You didn't think we'd be riding a dragon inside the school halls, did you?"

"Sod off." The redhead sulked bitterly. "We can't be riding one already. You need to know how to handle them before you even think about getting on top of one."

"Says you." The girl chuckled, folding her arms.

"Says me AND my brother Charlie." Ron snarled, unwilling to yield to her know-it-all attitude. "Or had you forgotten that he works with dragons in Romania?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, attempting to maintain her grin, but it soon fell as she spotted a figure strolling towards their ragged circle.

"That must be the professor." Harry said, squinting.

"Bloody hell." Ron whispered, staring intently. "It's HIM."

Soon, the man with the fire-red hair they had so erroneously misidentified as a "trouble student" entered their midst, hands firmly tucked into the pockets of his black-and-red-trimmed trenchcoat, smoke trailing from the cigarette loosely secured between his lips.

As he drew closer, their ranks splintered, and as he pressed on towards the middle of the gawking crowd, they all retreated in turn to form two neat rows on either side of him.

When he reached the end of the line, he took a moment to take a long drag off of his cigarette. As one student was open to open their mouth to comment on the color-shifting cherry of said cigarette, he spun smoothly on his heels to perform an about-face.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He boomed, startling a few students. "My name… is professor Alexander William Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV! But you can call me Roy." He paused for a split second, and without breaking his forward gaze, managed to lock a finger on Draco's position in line. "MALFOY!"

The blonde swallowed, frowning.

Slowly, the professor's head swiveled in the boy's direction. "A young man as CHARMING as yourself wouldn't happen to have any issues of concern before we begin our lesson, now would he?" Alexander's eyes shined with an odd light. Full of mischief, but at the same time, like a beacon warning of impending danger.

The young blonde cast his head left and right, presumably to guage the reactions of his fellow students. "Not at all, professor." He replied hastily, using his remaining concentration to put on an air of confidence and nonchalance. "Do proceed."

"Excellent!" The professor exclaimed, clapping his hands. His sudden mood-swing took some of the students aback, but wasn't half as surprising as the fin-like ears that flicked out from either side of his head in response to this shift in attitude, like an excited cat. There was a ripple of hushed commentaries, along with a few ooh's and aah's, but Alexander took little note of it and continued on. "Now! As you are all aware, this is your introductory class for dragon-riding…"

"Excuse me, professor." Hermione raised a hand, waving it expectantly.

Alexander's wrist flicked out, making a zipping motion. "Silencio."

The young girl's hand went up to her throat, and upon opening her mouth, found she could not speak. Her forehead formed a deep sinkhole as it crashed with her expression, illustrating her absolute disbelief. A split second later, Ron clamped one hand over his mouth and bent over slightly, trying with all of his might not to fall to the ground laughing. Harry merely stood there, looking stunned.

"I have two words for you, and two words only." Alexander pressed on, lifting one arm straight up, middle and forefingers pointed skyward.

"FUCK BROOMSTICKS!"

Without warning, a massive entity exploded onto the scene, coming to a violent, albeit somewhat reckless landing immediately behind the professor. It was a dragon; mottle-green in color, with a bright cream-and-orange underbelly, sleek head, wiry limbs, and eyes alive with playful energy.

A cacophony of awe, amusement, and shock erupted amongst the student ranks.

"Starting today…" Alexander began, grinning. "We ride in style."

"Is that Norbert?" Ron exclaimed, pushing his way to the front of the crowd that was now forming.

"Why, yes." The professor responded in surprise, eyes flicking open. His head turned, and when his gaze fell upon the young redhead, his lips curled into a devilish smile.

Ron continued staring up at the dragon, mouth agape. He jumped when Alexander suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Let me guess…" The professor cooed, gently grasping the young man by the chin. Ron scowled, a small tic working its way into the corner of one eye. He'd heard this opening before, and it was always followed up with insults. "Gorgeous green eyes, frightfully beautiful orange hair, lips sweeter than the nectar of the gods…"

Ron's eyes went wide with disbelief.

"You must be…" The professor's tone turned dulcet as he leaned in closer. "Ronald Weasley."

The young redhead swallowed. "You… know me?" He squeaked.

"Oh, your brother Charlie's told me loads about you, and he was absolutely right, you ARE a DOLL." Alexander took one last moment to poke the boy's cheek playfully, before standing back to full height to address the crowd. "Now, then! Shall we get acquainted with our guest? I assure you, he's as harmless as they come. Step up, don't be shy!"

As the professor strode away and back to Norbert, the students began following behind. Ron stood, looking petrified. Harry soon passed by, giving his friend a playful nudge in the shoulder. "I think he fancies you." He smiled, chuckling.

Ron said nothing, eventually unlocking himself from a static position to join his fellow students, absently scratching his cheek the entire way.

*****

URASAI!

"How can you be the fourth if you made it up?" Hermione asked, arms folded.

"Because you touch yourself at night, that's why." Alexander replied, sticking his tongue out. "Oh yeah, and your mom called. She says she wants her money back on those adoption papers."


	4. C4: Sneak Peek

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Here's where a bit of my perverted side starts to show up, and I'm admittedly a little nervous having people read it, because I'm not sure how well I craft "smut", but no matter, I'm sure I'll be hearing about it eventually, as it WILL be coming into play every so often. X3

*****

CHAPTER FOUR: Sneak Peek

1st week of September

Playlist: "Freak On A Leash" by Korn

Some time after class, the trio of friends walked in silence down one of the public halls. After a minute or so, Ron spoke up. "See, I told you." He muttered, knocking into Hermione with his shoulder. "All we did was play petting zoo with Norbert. The actual riding probably won't happen until mid-term."

The young girl snorted. "Congratulations, Ron. For once you actually know something."

The redhead advanced a few steps to block her path angrily. "Gettin' real sick of you and your BLOODY mouth, Hermione." He seethed.

"Cool it, you guys." Harry interjected smoothly, pointing down the hall. "Look! It's professor Lupin!"

As his companions reluctantly turned their heads to look, Lupin was soon accompanied by Alexander. The professors exchanged smiles of familiarity before giving each other a hearty hug. As they were about to head down the hall, Harry and his friends ran to catch up with them.

"Professor Lupin!" The bespectacled youth exclaimed breathlessly, clomping to a stop and flashing his trademark cheeky grin.

"Harry, my boy!" Lupin smiled warmly, patting the black-haired boy on the back. "How have you been?"

"Great!" Harry beamed cheerily. "You two know each other?" He asked, waving a finger in between the two professors.

"Hm-hm." A throaty chuckle escaped Alexander's lips. Immediately afterwards, his eyes darted in Ron's direction and stayed there, causing the young man to shrink away slightly.

"You could say that." Lupin closed his eyes, and gave Harry one final pat on the back before clearing his throat and turning back towards Alexander. "You'll forgive me, Harry, but I'm afraid I don't have time for a casual visit, and the professor and I have business elsewhere, so I'll have to catch up with you later, yes?"

"See you around, cutie." Alexander piped in, winking slyly at Ron. As the two professors took their leave, the young redhead once again found himself too stunned to think. Several moments passed before someone finally spoke up.

"Weren't you going to ask him something?" Hermione sneered, eyeballing the redheaded professor's back. "About your brother, right?"

Ron relaxed somewhat. "Oh, right!" He replied, unclenching his fists. "Uh, catch up with you guys later, then." He gave them a curt nod, then proceeded away from them and down the hall in pursuit of the two professors.

Minutes later, the young redhead found himself wandering the outer halls of the staff building, scratching his head in dismay. How could he have lost them so quickly? Surely he couldn't have been that far behind them, and could have sworn he was on the right path given they always seemed to be nipping around the next corner just as he caught view of them.

Ron felt his frustration rise, and blew out a noisy breath as he rounded the next bend. "Great." He huffed, "I have no bleedin' clue where I am now."

Blinking a few times, he was about to resign himself to defeat, when he noticed a slight shift in the air in front of him. He paused, squinting his eyes.

"Harry, is that you?"

Moments later, the most minute of lights appeared. A bare spec of blue, bobbing, as if the effort to stay aloft was too great for it. As Ron watched it dance, the light moved down the hall to his left, erratic, but enticing in its movements.

The redhead followed, albeit hesitantly, casting his head here and there to put his mind at ease that nothing sinister was afoot. After a few more turns, the light darted around a corner, and Ron found himself looking down the length of a poorly-lit, dead-end hallway. There were voices trailing from the only door at the very end, and after only a few seconds, were readily identifiable as those of Lupin and Alexander.

Drumming up his courage, Ron approached the office slowly, and as he did, the voices of the two professors became clearer.

"Now, how did Dumbledore bribe you into coming out of hiding and paying us a visit, I wonder?" Lupin chided playfully, "It had to have been no small miracle, I imagine."

Alexander laughed, "You know me, can't stay away from you lot too long. And besides…" His tone turned more reluctant, unsure. "Let's just say that one of my old school-things is acting up and leave it at that."

'What the ruddy hell does THAT mean?' Ron wondered, drawing closer to the door, which he soon realized was cracked part way open.

"Fair enough." Lupin surrendered, clapping his hands together. There was an odd pause. "I take it you've heard about what happened to Sirius, then."

There was an even longer pause.

"Indeed." Came Alexander's grave response. "And I presume YOU know what I have in my possession?"

Ron edged around the door and peeked inside just in time to see the brunette professor hold up a hand to silence the other. "I know who you're saving that for, so the answer, despite my personal feelings, is no."

Alexander flashed a tight-lipped smile, then strode around to the front of his desk to face Lupin more directly. "Fair enough." He replied, hoisting himself up onto the desk and into a sitting position.

"Well, that's business, of course." Lupin smirked, tilting his head.

"And, ah, what comes after business, exactly?" Alexander drew out teasingly, taking hold of the other man's tie with his thumb and index finger.

"I should think you'd know all about that." Lupin murmured, sliding an arm forward to balance himself on the desk, closing even more distance between the two.

"Why, professor… whatever shall your new wife think of this? She'd be ever so upset, I imagine." Alexander said with mock astonishment, taking a firmer hold of the other man's tie and drawing their faces closer together.

"Well, you know as well as I do…" Lupin began, mouth now hovering just above Alexander's neckline, head dipping as though taking in a heady scent. "…that our arrangement is just for show. So, I don't foresee any complications, do you?"

"None at all." Came the redhead's curt response.

And that's when two things happened simultaneously.

First, the professors seemed to lunge at one another, appearing, on all accounts, to be entering into a violent struggle, were it not for their lips also entwining themselves together.

The second was Ron's rude awakening into the world of adult appetites. His expression turned instantly to that of absolute shock. Were they actually… SNOGGING? Could two blokes actually DO that? TOGETHER? It was a concept that sent the young redhead's mind reeling, but most importantly, why couldn't he STOP WATCHING?

Alexander's hands slipped deftly inside the lining of Lupin's jacket, expertly freeing the garment from the other man's shoulders. The brunette responded quickly, leaning forward, teeth finding purchase on Alexander's earlobe. A groan of pleasure ensued, and redhead's eyes flicked open, gaze turning straight towards the office door.

Panic seized in Ron's chest, and he bolted, not daring to look back. All he knew for the moment, is that he hoped to the gods that he hadn't been seen.

*****

An orange blur signaled Ron Weasley's arrival back at the Gryffindor common room.

He stumbled to a halt at the feet of Harry and Hermione, interrupting their conversation on the couch. He took a moment to right himself, dust off his uniform, and clear his throat. "Hi." He squeaked, fists clenching over and over in anxiety.

"What's wrong with you?" Hermione asked, forehead crinkled in confusion. "You look like you've seen a ghost. "

Harry chuckled. "Moaning Myrtle hasn't been spying on you in the washroom has she?"

"That's… quite funny. Spying… and all." The redhead was stuttering, voice just above a whisper.

"Ron, are you OK?" Harry's tone grew more concerned. "Did you find the professors?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Ron nodded. "I did."

"And?" Hermione added expectantly.

"Ahmm…" He hesitated, arranging his thoughts. "So, apparently, they know each other."

"We already knew THAT." Hermione snipped sarcastically.

"Uh-huh." Ron paid little attention to her remark and continued as though she hadn't spoken. "And professor Alexander knew Sirius."

Harry's face fell with a thoughtful frown.

"Then professor Alexander said he had something that LUPIN said he won't let him use because it's supposed to be for someone else."

His friends exchanged befuddled glances.

"And then…" The young redhead choked, faltering.

"And then?" Harry supplied helpfully.

Ron's expressed shifted, snapping back to normal, as though he were awakening from a spell. He cleared his throat, and presented them with a smile, full of fabricated content. "And then they shook hands. Good night!"

With that, he was gone.

*****

URASAI!

Ron followed the dancing blue light down the hall, which was suddenly and unexpectantly joined by a larger, neon green ball of light.

"LOOK UPON ME, AND TREMBLE!" It bellowed, intimidating the redhead into backing up against the nearest wall. "I AM THE EMBODIMENT OF ALL THAT IS EVIL! WITNESS, AS I-"

"Hey, pal. D'ya mind? I'm trying to work here." The blue orb snipped, bobbing in between Ron and the green orb. "Other people gots things to show this kid too, y'know."

"FOOL! YOU KNOW NOT WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH! I AM-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. The embodiment of all evil. We know. What're gonna do? Show him a slideshow of tits and whiskey? I gots somethin' much better in mind, so ya might as well pack up and take a hike, pal. Let the big boys handle this."

"HEY… MAN. THAT'S JUST… MEAN."

"Aww, the big glowing boogar gonna cry? Should I get ya a tissue? I think I see your lip quiverin'."

"N-NO…"

"Good. Glad we got that settled. Now clear off, before I…" The blue orb paused, casting its gaze about. "Hey, where'd the kid go?"


	5. C5: Let Sleeping Dragons Lie

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This chapter introduces another OC who will have a small role every so often, and as much as I'd love to say she's based on Rin from Inuyasha, she's not. She is, in fact, based on my writing partner's little sister, Amber.

I have no idea if Amber plans on typing up the story from her character's perspective at any point in time, but if she does, I'll be sure to link ya'll to it.

And just for good measure, be sure to check out Brittanee's half of the Die Errinerung saga, "Dragon's Blood". Her username on is LeetaSlytherin.

And yes, I said "ya'll". Blame my friends in Virginia and Texas for that one. XD

*****

CHAPTER FIVE: Let Sleeping Dragons Lie

1st week of September

Playlist: "Make A Move" by Lostprophets

The next morning brought a parade of listless students, shuffling and yawning their way down the corridors to their respective classes. Among them traveled Harry and his two friends; Hermione and Ron, the latter seeming exceedingly more exhausted than the rest.

"Had a late night with a Cremorian Fangor beast, did you?" Harry chided, elbowing the redhead playfully.

Hermione's face twisted with incredulity. "There's no such creature, Harry. Where on earth did you dream THAT ONE up?"

A sigh of exasperation escaped the boy's lips. "Have you EVER heard of a JOKE, Hermione?" He enunciated musically, pushing up his glasses.

Ron laughed through his nose. "The only joke SHE knows is the one she has to look at in the mirror every day."

An indignant huff overtook the young girl, and the redhead found himself the receipient of another, not-so-playful elbowing.

"Ah! Easy, easy!" Ron cradled his ribs, eyeballing Hermione with mild irritation. "I was playing around, all right? You really need to learn to stop taking everything so BLOODY seriously."

Harry looked back at the two of them momentarily, shaking his head, then came to an abrupt stop when he suddenly collided with something stationary. "Sorry, sorry." He reversed a few steps just as Ron and Hermione caught up with him.

Before them was a circle of students, blocking the hallway, murmuring amongst themselves about an as-of-yet unknown spectacle.

"What's everyone on about?" Ron yawned, lazily surveying the crowd.

Hermione slid forward, shouldering herself in a few layers. After a few moments she returned, with a mixed look of confusion and disgust. "It's professor Alexander. He's asleep in the hallway."

Harry's face went blank, while Ron's went pale.

The faces lining the inner circle were that of wonder and amusement, eyes focused on the figure before them. Alexander was leaning up against a stone pillar, head hung slack, arms folded. Momentarily, a low, growling snore began to reverberate through the walls, earning a few quiet giggles and several whispers.

"Should we wake him up?"

"Dunno. He might be the sort that attacks you if you touch them, you know?"

"Is he even allowed to do that?"

"I wonder if that's normal for him? Don't imagine it's too comfortable."

"Maybe someone should go and fetch another professor?"

"I couldn't do that, that's for sure. I'd at least need a pillow."

"I know what he needs!" Interjected an energetic, female voice. Presently, a young Ravenclaw wriggled her way to the front, her red-tipped brunette locks bouncing playfully behind her. "He needs a good morning HUG!" She finished cheerily, coming to a stop at Alexander's feet.

A few students groaned, while the rest snickered nervously in anticipation of the potential carnage they half-expected to ensue.

The girl continued to beam happily, tugging gently on one of the professor's jacket sleeves, eyes eagerly awaiting a response. A congested cough escaped from Alexander's lips soon after, and ever so slowly, his eyelids cracked open.

A hush fell over the crowd.

Then, there was a horrid grinding noise as the older man's jaw eased into life, causing a few students to backstep. Without warning, the professor's hand flashed out, firmly seizing the young girl by the crown.

"Oh, bloody hell, knew that was a bad idea." Said a random student, as several others in his immediate vicinity gasped aloud. The gasps then turned to exclamations of horror as the professor lifted her off her feet solely with the strength of one arm.

The young girl, however, seemed unaffected, and continued smiling at him through what she could still see through his thumb and palm. He drew her closer to his face, squinting.

"You're not Ron." He grumbled, clearing the morning dew from the corner of his eye with his other hand.

At this, the young redhead's heart skipped another beat.

"Nope!" The girl replied with a smile, extending one hand. "I'm Ree. Ree Northscrup! Pleased to meet you!"

The professor blew out a disappointed breath, promptly dropping the girl back on her heels. He then cast his head about at the thinning masses, groaning.

"I hate mornings."

*****

"Mind telling me why you're in such a rush?" Harry asked as he and Ron clipped along one of the school's side passages. "If we'd waited another minute, we would have had a clear route to class. We'll probably be late at this rate."

"Didn't feel like it." Ron replied curtly, not bothering to look back.

"Are you in trouble, or something?" Harry's tone rose in pitch, bordering on frustration.

"He didn't look like he was in a good mood, that's all." The redhead replied unconvincingly, pausing to scan the length of the hall at each new turn.

"Well, I'm starting to think I can relate." The raven-haired boy muttered, increasing his pace a bit. He gave his friend another skeptical glance, then reluctantly decided to let the subject drop. "Come on, then. Let's have a run, shall we? Class should be starting any minute."

"Yeah, sure." Was the redhead's only response.

*****

URASAI!

Ree approached the reclined figure in the woods carefully, her un-bandaged eye gleaming with curiosity. At the sound of her approach, the figure bolted upright, fangs bared, eyes glowing red.

The young girl did not run, but instead, kept staring.

The grizzled man saw that she was not a threat, and relaxed somewhat, but still kept his fierce gaze on her.

After a few moments, the girl's mouth grew into a wide smile. She approached the figure, sack cloth in hand.

"Would you like a cookie, mister?" She asked, digging into the sack and presenting him with the object in question.

The redheaded man snorted, turning his head away from her. "I don't eat human food."

"Well, what do you eat?" She cocked her head to one side questioningly.

"Little girls like you who ask stupid questions."

Ree giggled. "You're funny, mister!"

Alexander's head turned slowly back towards her, his eyes narrowed.

"Jennifer Love Hewitt's career funny, or Patton Oswalt funny?"

"Umm…" Ree put one finger up to her lip in thought. "More like, LOLcat funny. Everyone knows it's ridiculous, but at the same time, it's appropriate, you know?"

"How insightful of you." The man sneered. "Now make yourself useful and get me some lo mein."

"But I thought you didn't eat human food?"

"Chinese people aren't human. There's no way you can develop the technology to cram that much food into such a small container, make it delicious, make it last a week, and NOT be an alien. So HOP TO!"

"Yessir!"


	6. C6: So You Want To Be An Alchemist?

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Nothing much to comment on in this chapter. Just some basic social and situational setup.

God, I can't wait until my first action sequence. XD

*****

CHAPTER SIX: So You Want To Be An Alchemist?

1st week of September

Playlist: "Get Lucky" by Heatmiser

"Harry, my boy. I was beginning to worry."

Slughorn turned to greet the latecomers, gesturing towards a cabinet at the back of the room near where they were currently idling.

"There should be a textbook for each of you in the cupboard. Feel free to join us whenever you're ready."

The two boys flashed embarrassed grins, then proceeded to where they had been directed and opened the cabinet door. Inside were two potion textbooks, one in good condition, the other, looking as though it had seen one too many owners.

Harry and Ron exchanged a brief glance, then, like two hungry wolves descending upon a fallen carcass, they attacked the newer of the two texts, struggling to keep hold of it as they attempted to wrench it from each other's grasp.

After a few moments, the redhead emerged victorious, lips cracking into a smug grin. He wiggled the book victoriously in his friend's face, beaming.

Harry retrieved the worn book, sulking slightly, before using his consolation prize as a weapon against the other boy's back. "You look rather cheery all of the sudden." He remarked dryly, "I thought you didn't want to take this class in the first place. So what changed your mind?"

Ron shrugged, feigning ignorance. "Nothing, really."

"Fine." Harry replied, his mood crashing even further. He knew something was bothering Ron, but for some reason, didn't seem too obliging to share any information. Did he overhear something he wasn't supposed to? And if so, even if he was too afraid to tell anyone, he should at least be able to tell his own best friend or Dumbledore. It was starting to border on maddening.

The two boys took their seats, and presently, Slughorn started his presentation.

"Now, as you can see, I have several cauldrons here, and I bet you're all wondering what's inside of them. But first, I thought it might be useful, and perhaps a bit fun for a quick round of 'Guess That Potion'. Now, what do you get when you combine a magic acorn, flowers from Erana's meadow, green fur, fairy dust, and water from the Flying Falls?"

"Your mum."

Several giggles erupted, and heads turned to greet the guilty party. At the back of the classroom stood Alexander, leaning casually against an ingredient shelf.

"Oh, god." Ron whispered, covering his head with both hands and sinking down further into his seat. Harry noticed the reaction, and fixed him with a worried frown.

"Ah, professor… professor, umm…" Slughorn struggled with his recollection, wrist twirling a few times.

"Sorry to interrupt." Alexander interrupted sharply, not wanting to sit through another guessing game. "But could I borrow Mr. Weasley for a moment?"

The aged man blinked. "Why, yes, of course." He stuttered, casting his eyes towards the redhead in question.

As slowly as he could get away with, Ron rose to his feet and shuffled after Alexander as he headed back out into the hall, shoulders hung slack.

Once outside, the Alexander spun on his heels, planting one arm on the door as it closed, in effect, pinning Ron between he and it. The boy cringed, a startled squeak escaping his lips.

"Detention. Tonight."

The young redhead unhinged his jaw to speak, but found he could produce no sound. The professor's gaze was intimidating, and he found himself frozen under the glow of gold and jade.

"Just after curfew, I want you to go to Hagrid's hut. Then, head straight into the Forbidden Forest. I'll find you."

Ron swallowed. "Sure."

All seriousness suddenly drained from the professor's face, and he broke into an amiable grin. "And be sure to bring a torch, OK?" He said with an even bigger smile. "Don't want you falling and ruining that pretty face of yours, now do we?"

Ron barely registered the ensuing pinch-on-the-cheek, and could only follow the professor with widened eyes as he took his leave. It was a full minute before the redhead finally snapped out of his funk and headed back inside.

Harry watched with confusion as his friend made a rather robotic return to his seat and let all of his weight drop him back into a sitting position. The redhead stared dumbly ahead, his breathing pattern a few marks below its usual speed.

"What happened?" Harry murmured, leaning over.

"Detention."

"Already? What exactly did you do yesterday?"

Ron's lips twisted into a grimace. "Nothing."

"It can't have been NOTHING." Harry enunciated, a twinge of annoyance re-entering his voice.

The redhead sucked on his lower lip, momentarily mulling something over in his head. At length, he shook his head, then eased forward to rest his head on the desk. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's just get this stupid class over with, all right?"

Harry huffed through his nose, then decided to distract himself from his growing irritation by thumbing through his textbook. After a few moments, he stopped on a particular page, running his finger over the paper.

"The half-blood prince… wonder who that is?"

*****

A few hours later, Ron had found a secluded cubby in which to isolate himself from all sound and thought. His anxiety about the looming nightfall was evident in his right leg, which bounced up and down on its heel, threatening to pound a crack into the hard, stone floor.

How could he have been seen? There was all but a sliver of space in that door to catch anyone through. The professor must have the eyes of a hawk or something. Impossible! It was just… NOT POSSIBLE the man could have known he had been watching them!

"Hey, Mister Twitch!"

Ron jumped to his feet and stumbled back into the wall. He snapped his head in the direction of the voice, and saw that it belonged to a young Ravenclaw girl. "What the bloody hell are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?" He squeaked, one hand going up to cradle his forehead.

"Have you seen my chicken puppet?" She asked quickly, hands on her hips, face scrunched into an exaggerated pout.

"Your what?" Ron's expression crashed. He regarded the girl as though she were insane.

"My chicken puppet. Oh, bother. I bet Tom has it. So what's got you so jumpy anyway? You got a bounty on your head or somethin'?" Her words came in a rapid stream, cementing the redhead's theory that she may not be all right upstairs.

"Look, could you kindly bugger off?" Ron replied, tone bordering on hysterics. "I've got slightly more pressing matters than your bloody toys, all right?"

"That's not very nice, you know." She tutted, waving a finger at him. "You're gonna get extra special super detention if you keep bein' mean to people."

Ron's eyebrows furrowed themselves into a tight crease. "How did you know I have detention?"

"Everybody knows!" She beamed cheerily, clapping her hands once. "So you shouldn't be so nervous. If you end up in a bodybag, then you'll have a bunch of people who can back it up as being the professor's fault!"

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, hush!" Ree skipped forward, taking both of the boy's trembling hands, and helped him ease back down into a sitting position. "I'm only playin'! You know, he's not such a bad guy. You shouldn't be scared."

The redhead stared at her long and hard. "Are you… COMPLETELY FORGETTING the fact that he nearly crushed your skull earlier today?" He asked, voice low, and tinged with disbelief.

"Pfffbbbt." The girl vibrated her lips noisily. "He was just sleepy. Sometimes mum gets grumpy in the morning and sets the teapot on fire. OH! Maybe that's what you need. Mum says tea helps calm your nerves. I can conjure you up some if you want!"

Ron eased backwards out of her grip, resting his head against the wall, eyes closed. "Is EVERYONE new around here a nutter?" He moaned, massaging the bridge of his nose.

He had the sinking feeling that somehow, this wasn't going to end until he relented, and gave in to a bit of the madness himself.

*****

URASAI!

"We're going to make a rare potion today." Slughorn announced, rubbing both hands together. "Its scientific name is Felicitus Populi, more commonly known as LUCK."

"A luck potion?" Harry's eyebrows rose with curiosity.

"Indeed." Slughorn replied amiably. "Whoever drinks it will find that anything they endeavor to do will succeed without fail. I happen to have a small vial already made up. Would anyone like to test it?"

Ron raised his hand eagerly.

"Ah, yes. Mr. Weasley." The professor uncorked the vial, handing it to the young man. "Go on, have a sip."

Ron tipped the vial to his mouth, then handed it back to the professor and licked his lips.

Moments later, a sudden intense fire erupted on the other side of the room. When the smoke finally cleared, the students were left to gawk at a moderately-sized pile of ash on the chair where Hermione used to be.

"What on EARTH just happened?" Harry asked, frowning deeply.

"I hoped I would suddenly gain the ability to wish spontaneous human combustion on other people." The redhead replied with a triumphant smirk. "Lucky me, eh?"

There was another contained explosion of flame at a second desk.

"That was Draco, wasn't it?" Harry asked without turning his head.

Ron merely smiled, drumming his fingers together.

"You're mental!" Screamed a voice somewhere in the room.

There was a third explosion, followed by a fourth.

"Crab and Goyle?"

Ron nodded.

"Brilliant."


	7. C7: Let The Punishment Fit The Crime

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This chapter marks the end of day two, and enters the first weekend.

I had to cut this chapter down a bit and shuffle a few scenes forward where they would work better, so as a result day two has been very Ron-heavy so far. However, I finally get to introduce Brittanee's OC, thus thickening the plot further. HUZZAH!

*****

CHAPTER SEVEN: Let The Punishment Fit The Crime

1st week of September

Playlist: "Been Caught Stealin'" by Jane's Addiction

Ron Weasley stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, his lantern held aloft before him like a shield. He was not wont to stray too far from the safety of Hagrid's hut, despite his instructions.

Hesitantly, he took a few steps forward into the treeline. "Just head straight in, he says." The redhead muttered to himself. "I'll find you, he says."

As if mocking his bitter mood, a cold wind whipped around him, causing him to shudder. "Hopefully before I'm ripped apart by some bloody animal." He added under his breath, clutching his cloak and holding it close in an attempt to shut out the chill. With much trepidation, he then proceeded into the forest, scanning his surroundings carefully as he went.

To the boy's surprise and suspicion, the woods were eerily quiet. Not so much as a cricket betrayed its presence. The only sound that could be heard was the crunch of underbrush as Ron passed through, and the faint creak of his lantern as it swung lazily on its hinge.

The redhead snuck a glance behind himself, noting that the light from around Hagrid's hut was growing frightfully faint in the distance. He stopped to look about in dismay, debating heavily on if he had the nerve to continue or not. Then, just as he was about to resign himself to fear and turn back around, the sharp snap of a branch immediately above his head caused his body to freeze.

"'ALLO, RONALD!"

Ron let loose with a decidedly feminine shriek, performed a sloppy pivot, and stumbled onto his backside, his lantern clattering noisily to the ground beside him. It was then he locked eyes with Alexander, who appeared to be floating upside-down in the air.

The professor grinned, putting a thick, comical twinge on his accent, "Bit of a sticky wicket, eh wot?"

Ron's eyes traveled upwards, and saw that the professor was not, in fact, levitating, but rather, suspending himself from a tree branch with a prehensile dragon tail. The redhead blanched slightly, slowing drawing himself up into a standing position. He paused, mouth ajar, staring intently.

"Is something amiss?" Alexander asked, smirking.

"No." Ron answered quickly, swallowing. "What could possibly be amiss?" He shrugged, making a weak attempt at masking his anxiety.

The professor cocked an eyebrow. "You think nothing's amiss?" He asked, tail undulating to release its grip on the tree branch. He righted himself as he fell, coming to a clean landing on the balls of his feet.

"I'm standing here, wearing a red-and-white checked gingham coat…" He continued, gesturing at his outfit, which magically shifted from jet black to a plaid pattern of the colors in question. "…and army boots, and you still think that's unamiss?"

Ron swallowed once again, frowning slightly. "You're quite strange, you know that?"

The professor let out a high-pitched sigh, seeming disappointed. He snapped his fingers, and his jacket instantly reverted back to its original colors. "Yes, I know." He replied, giving Ron a hearty pat on the back. "Now, can you take a guess as to why you're here, Mr. Weasley?"

"I've a fair idea." The young man replied, his tone soft, and full of dread.

"Then you also know that it's not very polite to spy on people, don't you?" The professor's lips had found their way down to dock with the redhead's ear as he spoke, sending shivers down the boy's neck.

Ron closed his eyes, wincing. Moments later, he opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, then suddenly misplaced his voice when he felt Alexander's long fingernails creep around the other side of his neck to find parking spots near the boy's jugular.

"Did it excite you?" Came the professor's breathless whisper.

Ron's reply reached a new pitch, barely registering as sound. "I BEG YOUR PARDON?"

Alexander frowned, instantly releasing his grip. "Pity." He mused, taking a few steps back, waiting for the redhead to regain his composure before continuing, "You ready to serve your sentence?"

Ron grimaced, stooping down to retrieve his lantern. "Yeah, sure." He sulked.

"Right!" The professor clapped once, motioning with one hand. "This way."

*****

The duo traveled in silence for roughly ten minutes, eventually reaching a small clearing somewhere deep in the woods. The professor motioned for his charge to stop walking, then reached around to the back of his trousers to retrieve and affix a thick, leather arm-glove.

Ron furrowed his eyebrows, fidgeting slightly.

"Now, then!" Alexander affirmed, flexing his fingertips. "Here we go! Are you ready? You're in for a treat, my boy!"

The redhead blanched. Just what was he planning to do with that glove? The possibilities that sprang to mind made him wish he'd stayed put at the castle, and he felt his legs screaming once again to escape.

The professor held his gloved hand straight out to the side, then put the other to his lips, whistling sharply. Something in the distance answered, and after a few moments, the distinct sound of wingflaps became apparent.

As Ron watched, an eagle-sized dragon appeared, coming to a graceful landing on the professor's arm, its taloned feet gripping the glove tightly.

The creature was beautiful to say the least. It appeared to be a blend of both bird and dragon, adorned in vivid green-and-purple plumage. Its head was slender, boasting a set of ivory antlers and long, silvery whiskers.

Presently, the beast began clicking its beaked jaws together, producing a staccato squawking noise. Alexander responded promptly, dipping his free hand into the pouch hanging from his belt, and retrieving a small fish for it to feed on.

"What kind of dragon is THAT?" Ron marveled, quickly forgetting his anxiety.

Alexander beamed. "This… is the Japanese hai-ryo. Very clever species, but also very rare. As you can see, they primarily feed on aquatic creatures. Their feathers are often coveted for alchemical research, but due to over-hunting, I'm afraid we've had to tighten our grip as far as conservation methods go." He turned his head to whistle affectionately at the beast, tickling the underside of its jaw with one finger.

Ron continued staring with wonder, unconsciously taking a step forwards. A thought occurred to him, and he paused, face riddled with confusion. "Is this… my punishment?" He asked, uncertain. "I thought I was supposed to be serving detention."

"Nonsense." The professor replied, attention still focused on the dragon. "You didn't see anything you weren't going to see eventually anyway. Let's just call this a 'getting to know you' session."

The redhead pursed his lips, still slightly baffled, but shook it off and took a few more timid steps towards the professor.

"Here." Alexander produced another dried fish from his treat bag and handed it to Ron. "Hold it by the very end of the tail, or you could get your fingers nipped."

Ron took the fish, his grin widening with every passing second as he brought it closer and closer to the animal's mouth. The dragon twittered, snapping the mini-meal up in one gulp.

The young man laughed softly, his face aglow. After about a minute, however, his smile faded and he began scratching the back of his head nervously.

"You want to ask me something else, don't you?" Alexander's tone was low, but not threatening.

Ron swallowed. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Go on." The professor replied, keeping his voice low and gentle.

"So… are you and Lupin… you know…"

"An item?" Alexander supplied helpfully. "Not really, no. We just like to… have fun, occasionally. That's all."

Ron laughed nervously. "Didn't know you could do that."

"My dear boy, people have been having fun since time began, how else do you think the species perpetuates itself?"

"No, I mean… like, I didn't know two BLOKES could… you know…" The redhead began to fidget again, refusing to look the other man in the eye out of pure embarrassment. Anxiety then got the better of him and he promptly entered into a slight state of panic. "Look, I won't say anything." He blurted, fists clenching and unclenching. "I know it's supposed to be some sort of secret, and I don't want to get anyone in trouble, so…"

Alexander clicked his tongue against the inside of his cheek, thrusting his arm upwards to release the dragon back into the woods, then placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Relax. It's not as big a deal as you think. Though I DO appreciate you keeping this under wraps, don't feel like you can't just talk to me about whatever's on your mind, all right?"

Ron exhaled, mouth twitching in an attempt to smile. "Right."

"Friends?" The professor extended his ungloved hand, eyebrows arched expectantly.

Momentarily, the redhead reached out to grasp it, shaking it once. "Yeah." Came his curt, but friendly response.

"Wunderbar!" Alexander exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "All right, let's head back, shall we?"

Ron nodded, and they set off back towards the castle.

*****

Back at Hagrid's hut, Alexander watched the young redhead take his leave and head up the steep, stone steps over the hill. Once the boy's lantern light fully receded from sight, the professor paused long enough to light a cigarette before speaking aloud.

"Still trying to see if you can sneak up on me, eh?"

Soundlessly, a figure emerged from the shadows of the ramshackle hut behind him. In the torchlight, the figure was illuminated to be that of a Slytherin student, a young girl with jet black hair and bangs dyed a deep, forest green.

"I'll get you one of these days, you'll see." She replied dryly, appearing bored as she adjusted her black, open-fingered gloves.

"HA! You wish." Alexander replied jovially, turning to face the young woman. "Shouldn't you be in your dorm?" He chided, pausing to take a long drag of his cigarette. "It's after curfew, you know."

"So ground me." She replied, grinning. Her eyes slowly crept up the hill in the direction Ron had exited, then swung slyly back in Alexander's direction. "I see you've taken a new fancy." She teased.

"Mind your own business." The professor defended sulkily, blowing out a thick plume of smoke. There was a long period of silence before he continued, his tone turning more serious. "I hear you've been talking to Dumbledore."

"That I have." The girl replied, closing her eyes and nodding. "I take it you disapprove?"

"You bet your ASS I fucking DISAPPROVE." The redhead growled, nearly crushing his cigarette with a tightened fist. Momentarily, he shut his eyes, massaging his temple and sighing. "Sorry. Look, I know it's your decision, and I won't try to stop you, whatever you decide, but it doesn't mean I have to LIKE IT, you know?"

"I know." The girl replied, eyes briefly downcast.

"So where do we go from here…?" Alexander asked, mostly to himself.

The girl shrugged. "Only time will tell."

*****

URASAI!

I was going to do a Breakfast Club skit here, then decided that it would be too long and involved for my current energy level, so I encourage folks to use their imagination and envisage the whole thing themselves. I'll even help you out with a cast list, here we go!

Starring;

Professor Alexander as Judd Nelson!

Ronald Weasley as Anthony Michael Hall!

Luna Lovegood as Ally Sheedy!

Harry Potter as Emilio Estevez!

Draco Malfoy as Molly Ringwald!

…and Professor Snape as Dean Vernon!

I am so very, very ashamed of myself right now. XD


	8. C8: TubThumpin'

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Please take no offense to this chapter, it's all meant in good fun. Besides, a healthy chunk of my ancestors were Irish, so I'm allowed. XD

Also, I apologize ahead of time for ending it on an odd note, I ran out of steam conversation-wise (seeing as how the original dialogue is no longer applicable), and was heavily distracted by the REALLY ANNOYING noises the laptop has been making today. Sounds like the internal fan is freaking out or something and I WANT IT TO STOP. XP

*****

CHAPTER EIGHT: Tub-Thumpin'

1st weekend of September

Playlist: "Off The Wagon" by L7 (this song actually has very little to do with the theme of the chapter, it's just yet another dig on my Irish heritage, LOL)

Harry and Ron traveled down the halls of Hogwarts, not having any particular destination in mind, but rather, enjoying their free-time from classes. Their care-free meandering, however, was soon interrupted by a commotion nearby.

Soon, the young man known as Seamus Finnegan came sprinting into view from an adjacent hallway, nearly colliding with the wall in front of him. Realizing quickly that his path was blocked on both sides by confused students who were also aimlessly collected in various areas, he panicked, flattening himself up against the wall in question, face compressed with anxiety.

Seconds later, professor Alexander appeared, streaming straight towards the frightened boy. "You bastard!" He hissed, grabbing Seamus firmly by the collar with both hands. "You bloody, rotten thief!"

"I-I dunno what you're talkin' about!" The young man whined, trembling.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, you potato-eating, river-dancing, Guinness-swilling selkie, GIVE THEM BACK!"

"Give WHAT back?!" Seamus squealed, nearly hysterical.

"MY LUCKY CHARMS, YOU DAFT GIT! WHAT ELSE?!" Alexander seethed, his canine-like teeth poised threateningly close to the boy's ear.

"Well, now…" Came a low, droning tone from somewhere behind the two of them. "I see that Dumbledore has lowered his standards of employment considerably this year."

Alexander released his grip on Seamus' collar, craning his neck to address the speaker. The young man instantly took advantage of the distraction, slid himself sideways along the wall, and made off down the corridor like his life depended on it. The redhead took no notice of his quarry's escape, focusing instead on professor Snape, who stood with arms folded, eyeballing him with mild contempt.

"And I would be reluctant, at best, to say that your influence over the student body thus far is anything else but… troubling." The raven-haired man continued, looking unimpressed.

Alexander sneered, marching straight over to get in the other man's face. "You're the LAST person I need to hear that from, Pinocchio." He growled, eyes narrowed. "And just to let you know, if anything happens to her, I'm holding YOU personally responsible."

Snape's expression dwindled into that of confusion. "I have NO idea to whom you are referring, PROFESSOR. Tell me, are fevered rantings part of your curriculum?"

"You know DAMN WELL to-whom-I-am-referring." The redhead spat back sarcastically, jabbing a forefinger into the other man's shoulder.

Snape cocked an eyebrow. "And are you as certain about this as you were that Mr. Finnegan had… how did you put it? Absconded with your luck charms?" He finished, his tone growing thick with self-righteousness and smarm. His expression quickly crashed, however, when he saw the other professor's eyes visibly darken, as though a black liquid were seeping in through the edges.

A split second later, Alexander shut both eyes tightly, running one hand down the length of his face and shaking his head, as though attempting to sober up from some unknown intoxication. He then exhaled noisily though his nose, cleared his throat, and re-opened his eyes, which had since reverted back to their original jade color.

"Ahem… perhaps you're right, professor." The redhead continued, placing a condescending palm on the other man's shoulder. "This sort of behavior is not befitting of two PROFESSIONALS such as ourselves. We should show the students that we ADULTS can settle our differences in a civilized manner. So what say you and I have a demonstration in the dining hall later this evening, a friendly competition, so to speak?"

Snape's eyebrows launched themselves skyward. "Am I to understand… that you're challenging me to a Wizard's Duel?"

"Right-o!" Alexander replied cheerily, putting another comical twist on his accent. "Sharper than the point on Hermione's head, you are!"

Snape groaned as the redhead gave him a hearty pat on the chest. "Very well." He sighed, absently brushing down the spots on his robes that Alexander had touched. "I'll speak to professor McGonogall about arranging something once the dining hall has been cleared after the evening meal. Is that satisfactory enough for you?"

"Quite." The redhead replied, grinning through gritted teeth. He then proceeded to perform a series of odd wrist-twirls into a military salute, and promptly took his leave.

Snape idled a few moments, eyes flicking about as a silent warning to the surrounding students not to make any offhand comments, then exited the area in the opposite direction. Once he was out of sight, Ron and Harry finally addressed each other to speak as the other students began talking excitedly about the upcoming event in the dining hall.

"Well, then." The black-haired boy said simply, forehead darting up and back down.

"Yeah." Came his friend's simpler reply.

Harry rocked on his heels for a moment, then spoke up again. "So… did you find anything out? From professor Alexander, I mean."

"What?" Ron took a moment to focus on the question, then grunted in frustration. "Bloody hell, I forgot to ask him about Charlie!"

Harry puffed out his cheeks in thought. "Suppose you could ask him after the duel if he wins. I imagine he'd be in a better mood after that."

"Yeah." Ron answered, swallowing.

"Funny how he seems to know everyone, yet none of US have heard of HIM before now." The black-haired boy commented, musing on his own curiosity regarding Alexander and Sirius' supposed relationship. "Guess we could ask him about that too."

"Yeah." The redhead repeated, scratching the back of his head.

Harry waved a hand in front of his friend's face.

"Are you caught in a loop?"

*****

URASAI!

Professor Alexander sat across the table from Seamus Finnegan, twin towers of shot glasses partially obscuring their vision as they stared at each other intently.

The older man flicked his nose, scooping up another shot and downing it quickly.

"Ooooh!" The surrounding crowd chimed in unison.

Seamus snorted, grabbing another shot of his own. He tipped it to his lips, then sent it down his throat and clapped the glass back onto the table noisily.

"Ooooh!" The crowd exclaimed once more.

Alexander downed yet another shot, smirking triumphantly as his opponent began to wobble noticeably.

"Ooooh!"

Seamus reached for another shot, hand trembling. He brought it up to his mouth, one eyelid blinking lazily. "Shit." He said at length, head bobbing slightly. "All I have to say is… female… impersonators."

A trio of brunettes proceeded to dance in the young boy's vision as the alcohol finally proved to be too much for him. The drink fell from his hand, and he slumped forward onto the table, out cold.

"What did he mean by that?" Hermione asked, forehead crumpled in confusion.

Alexander stared long and hard at the girl, his lips twisting into a cruel smile.

"I have NO idea."


	9. C9: Whispers In The Dark

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

WOOT, I finally get to write an action sequence next chapter!

But yeah, enjoy your dialogue in the meantime, I suppose, LOL.

*****

CHAPTER NINE: Whispers In The Dark

1st weekend of September

Playlist: "Take A Picture" by Filter

"So who d'ya think's gonna win?" Neville asked aloud, casting his head about the room. In the Gryffindor Hall common area, numerous clusters of students were gathered, chittering amongst themselves. The predominant topic was, not suprisingly, the upcoming battle of professor versus professor, and each student bore no shame in freely dispensing their own theories on the outcome.

"Professor Snape, of course." Hermione answered quickly, almost laughing. Her forehead crinkled when it seemed that everyone was not in immediate agreement with her, then raised itself up again. "I mean, come on, guys. You've gotta be able to keep your cool in a fight, right?"

Harry's head tilted as if to say, "You've got a point.", then snapped in another friend's direction. "Dunno. What do you think, Ron?" He continued, eager to egg a controversy on. There was sometimes precious little entertainment in the castle, he might as well get an interesting conversation out of it.

The redhead's face contorted into an exaggerated frown, then rose again with his shoulders. "Dunno, professor Alexander seems like he could do a lot of damage, y'know? Got his calm moments too, I suppose."

"I'm more inclined to agree with Hermione." Seamus interjected, inserting himself into the group. "That tall fella's mental. Goin' on and on about luck spells or somethin'. And I've no bleedin' clue what he's on about…"

"Well, he DOES train dragons." Neville supplied quickly, albeit sheepishly. He was as eager as some of the others to stave off a full ten minute tirade on the matter, but as always, wasn't altogether sure of himself. "That's gotta drive you a bit bandy now and again, right?"

"Right." Harry affirmed through a mouthful of apple bits, gesturing at Neville with said apple in hand. "Terrible."

Ron puffed out his cheeks, watching with envy as his friend feasted. "Think I'll nip off to the dining hall early, see if they've got anything to snack on."

"Have fun." Harry mumbled, saluting with his free hand.

"Oi! Bring us back somethin', will ya?" Seamus called out, watching the redhead take his leave.

"And don't eat it all on the way back!" Harry supplied humorously, drinking in the smirks that ensued. Another moment passed before an unexpected answer had them in stitches.

"Who says I'm comin' back, then?!"

*****

Minutes later, Ron plodded his way down the main staircase hall, somewhat oblivious to his surroundings as visions of confectionaries danced in his vivid, albeit limited imagination. Midway through his descent, he unconsciously found himself pausing, feeling something tug at the corner of his attention.

Presently, he found himself sniffing the air.

"Food's not for a few floors down, Red." A young Slytherin girl snickered as she brushed past him in the opposite direction. She flicked her green bangs aside, looking back at him as she ascended. "Or maybe you smell something a little more appetizing, eh?"

By the time Ron had registered her enough to crinkle his brow in confusion, she had already somehow magically disappeared from his sight. "What the…?" He paused once more, getting a better bead on what had distracted him in the first place. "Is that… cigarette smoke?"

The redhead swiveled his head to and fro, attempting to locate the guilty party. After a few seconds of failing to do so, he was about to resolve himself to continuing his downward journey, until something else caught his attention.

To find something moving in a painting was no surprise to the people of Hogwarts, but seeing someone you KNEW inside said painting was another matter altogether.

Ron squinted, peering into the distance of the savannah sprawling out before him. In the foreground, a large, knotted tree stood. And there, leaning against it, leisurely tugging on a black cigarette, was a figure he was becoming fast acquainted with.

"How the bloody hell did you get in there?" Ron asked aloud, mostly to himself.

Alexander lolled his head towards the young man, cracked into a lazy grin, and shot one arm straight up in greeting. "Weasley! How's it goin'?"

Ron's faltered. "Ah… I was just, poppin' down to the dining hall. Y'know…" He made a vague gesture that attempted to summarize his intentions, but only ended up making him appear to be fidgeting, which seemed to amuse Alexander.

"S'all right, my boy." The older man said warmly, quickly rising to his feet and approaching the "barrier" of the painting. "Come on in, we can have a picnic here! That'll be lovely, eh?"

Ron's awkward grin shot itself into mild amusement as he eyeballed the fringes of the canvas. "Dunno what you used to get in there, really."

Alexander smiled warmly, extending one arm forward, which shifted to that of "real-world" style as it left the painting. "Oh, it's quite easy. Just take my hand, and say, "Geben Sie Träume"."

The young man puffed out his cheeks, face crinkled with internal debate. Eventually, he relented, grasping the other man's wrist. "Gebben… see trome… or whatever."

"CLOSE ENOUGH!" The professor announced excitedly, yanking the unsuspecting boy straight through the divider.

A short gasp of shock escaped Ron's lips as he stumbled into Alexander's steadying arms. The instant he regained his balance, he backed off a few steps, eyes downcast. "Sorry, sorry."

The professor re-approached him, giving him a hearty pat on the back. "No apologies necessary, my boy. Now, what brought you to my secret fort today?" He gestured momentarily to the haphazardly nailed-together shack that adorned the tree they were standing under, eloquently labeled with a sign that read, "NO GURLS ALOWD".

"Ummm…" Ron swallowed, laughing nervously. "You did."

Alexander blinked a few times, staring blankly. Momentarily, his lips began curling in the better part of a chuckle, before finally exploading into raucous laughter.

"BRILLIANT!" He exclaimed, administering a few more slaps to the young man's back. "Ah, man, that's just what I needed, Ron. Thank you."

"Heh… sure." The young redhead replied, not completely getting the joke, but not wanting to push the issue either. Instead, he decided to change the subject. "Did I even really need to say anything to get inside?" He asked hesitantly.

"Not really." The older man answered bluntly. He took a long drag off his cigarette and continued, "I just wanted an excuse to hold your hand is all."

Ron half-squeaked, and half-laughed in response. He began fidgeting in place for a few moments, struggling for something to say before the professor finally gave him an out.

"All right, off with ya, then." Alexander chided playfully, making a shooing motion with one hand. "Better get in there and get your dinner before they have to clear it out for tonight, right?"

The young man blinked, registering the question. "Yeah, right." He affirmed, nodding curtly and turning to take his leave. Once he was clear of the painting and well on his way down the stairs and out of audio range, Alexander approached the edge of the canvas, lips twisted in bitter indignancy.

"I HEARD THAT!" He yelled out, folding his arms.

And as his echoes died out, the only sound that could be heard in response was a lone giggle, faintly wafting in from somewhere around the Slytherin halls.

*****

URASAI!

Ron did a double-take, noticing, for the first time, the young blonde gentleman sitting around the very edge of the far side of the tree. He had his arms curled around his knees, head slack, a magically-conjured black cloud hovering immediately above him.

"Who's that?" The yound redhead asked, turning his head to address the professor.

"Oh, him?" Alexander pointed with his thumb. "That's a friend of mine. He likes to hang out here sometimes. Mostly when he's being emo about other guys mackin' on his girl. Rich boy. Pretty… but kinda dumb. He DOES throw some kick-ass costume parties though."

"Ah." Ron replied, stuffing his hands in both pockets. "One more question…"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have some of whatever you're smoking?"

"Absolutely."


	10. C10: Let's Get This Party Started

Die Erinnerung: Like Dreams, They Fade

A Harry Potter fanfic by Alexander "serialzero" Hooker

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I love writing action sequences.

There's just SOMETHING about carefully coreographing ass-kicking in text form that makes my brain happy… I dunno.

Oh, and again, please don't be offended by anything in this chapter, I'm not a racist, nor am I a nazi. If you find yourself taking offense ANYWAY, then I suggest you read "Sense of Humor for Dummies" before continuing any further. In fact, you probably shouldn't even leave your HOUSE if anything I write gets you up in arms.

Seriously.

*****

CHAPTER TEN: Let's Get This Party Started

1st weekend of September

Playlist: "When Worlds Collide" by Powerman 5000

"Is the décor really necessary?" Snape drolled, examining the mock-battleground surrounding him. In the hours following the students' evening meal, the dining hall had been rearranged to resemble a World War II battlefield, replete with barb-wire fencing and sandbags on the sidelines for the arriving onlookers.

"My only answer," McGonagall began, giving the decorations a cursory glance before returning to her colleague's attention, "Is that professor Alexander deemed it appropriate for, as they say, entertainment purposes."

"This not a stage production, professor." Snape replied carefully. "Surely… HE should know that."

"Well, that's as may be." The wizened professor recovered quickly, fidgeting momentarily with her hair band. "But precautions are rarely a foolish idea, garish or no."

The raven-haired professor launched an eyebrow, but said nothing. Momentarily, McGonagall quietly excused herself to attend to the task of herding students into their respective areas.

It wasn't long until the Great Hall was abustle. Anticipation was ripe on the tongues of student and teacher alike. At the northeast corner of the throng waited the golden trio; Harry, Hermione, and Ron, the latter of whom was perched on top of a short stack of wooden crates hastily emblazoned with the word "dynamite" in bright red paint.

"So…" Harry began, clapping both hands together. "Twenty galleons on professor Alexander, who wants in?"

Ron rolled his eyes, snorting. "You're starting to sound like my brothers."

Hermione crinkled her brow, silently contemplating. Then, her eyebrow rose demurely, and she pursed her lips, for all the world looking like someone who had just gotten away with their first mall theft. She spun on her heels, her curly hair performing its trademark bounce as she came to an about-face in front of Harry. "I'll take you up on that. Twenty galleons on professor Snape."

The bespectacled youth cracked into a wide grin. "Brilliant. It's a bet, then."

Before the two of them could shake on it, a Slytherin girl inserted herself between them as she weaved her way through the crowd. "I wouldn't take that bet if I were you." She oozed, pausing to slide some of her jet-black hair behind one ear. "After all, you might need that money for remedial potions lessons."

The brunette glared heatedly as the Slytherin girl continued her journey around the sidelines, but waited until she was out of sight before releasing a frustrated growl. "Ugh! The nerve of that girl!" She seethed, balling her fists up.

"Friend of yours?" Harry joked, stuffing his hands in both pockets.

"I've seen that girl before." Ron interjected. From his vantage point, he had a better bead on where the black-haired girl was headed. Not surprisingly, she soon ended up with the likes of Draco, Pansy, and the rest of the belly-crawler brigade. "She said something really weird to me before I found professor Alexander in that painting."

"Rubbish!" Hermione laughed through her nose. "He probably just enchanted the painting to make it look like he was inside."

Harry's eyebrows crashed. "There isn't a spell that lets you actually ENTER a painting, is there?"

"Of course n-"

"Yeah, there is, actually." The redhead interrupted sharply, sitting forward and fixing the girl with a pinch-eyed leer. "I'm not makin' it up. He pulled me inside with him. There's a whole landscape in there."

"But… there's no such spell." Hermione argued, confused. "How did he manage it?"

Ron shrugged, leaning back again. "Dunno. Maybe he made it up. Someone's gotta come up with this stuff, right?"

"Hmm." Harry responded simply, looking impressed. Momentarily, he fixed his curly-haired companion with a catty grin.

"Ohhh, no you don't." Hermione began, affording herself a smile of amusement. As she opened her mouth again to further protest their wager, a sudden boom rocked the student ranks.

"ATTEN-HUT!"

At once, Alexander appeared. As the smoke from his explosive entrance dissipated, his military-grey uniform became plainly clear, as did his German-style battle helmet, which he proceeded to flourish with an elegant bow to the startled crowd.

"Does he have to bloody SHOUT all the time?" Ron muttered, drawing himself back up from his felled position on the crates.

"BEREIT DIE KANONEN!" The professor continued, raising an arm high. "DREI, ZWEI, EIN!"

"Can we get on with this?" Snape moaned, crossing his arms.

Alexander fixed him with a sneer, then snapped his fingers. The resounding boom that followed had many of the more skittish students making appropriate use of their dive-shields.

"Right." McGonagall interjected, ringing her ear with one pinky. She then proceeded to silently usher the dueling professors to their respective positions on either end of the "battlefield".

"Here we go…" Ron whispered under his breath, leaning forward with renewed interest.

McGonagall turned to address the students. "If you could all quiet down, please? Good. Now, the purpose of tonight's duel is an important one, despite the way it looks." She gave Alexander a quick glance before continuing. "As you are all well aware, we live in dangerous times." She paused to let the meaning sink in. "So perhaps a more realistic demonstration of how unpredictable your foes can be would be of great assistance to you all. This is meant to show you how to think on your toes, to be ready at any given moment for what may lie ahead. I trust you will find this much more than a mere grudge match… but rather, something that could very well save your life one day."

Over the course of her speech, many a face had grown somber. This was most evident in the expression of one Draco Malfoy, whose troubled eyes darted between that of his surroundings and the floor. The raven-haired girl accompanying him took note of it, but said nothing for the moment, instead re-focusing her attention on the professors.

Once McGonagall was confident that her point was being received, she turned to speak to the combatants. "Wands at the ready."

The two professors lifted their weapons simultaneously. As Snape lowered his, Alexander gave the tip of his own a playful kiss, earning a sneer of disgust from his opponent. The wands were then lowered, and the two men returned to their starting positions.

Satisfied that the duel was proceeding normally, McGonagall joined the students behind the blast-lines.

Once the combatants were at the appropriate distance from each other, a hush fell over the crowd. Snape swiveled into his usual overhanded stance, while Alexander merely performed a slow pivot into a relaxed stance, one hand in his pocket.

"Let the duel BEGIN!"

McGonagall had barely finished the "n" before the redheaded professor's wand-hand flicked, barely leaving its resting place at his thigh.

"Tarasquio blokada."

Instantly, a translucent carapace studded with horn-like protrusions flashed around Alexander, then faded from sight as Snape let loose with his first spell.

"Expelliarmus!"

The bolt from the dark-haired man's wand sizzled towards his opponent, only to rebound off of the invisible shell and strike a nearby chandelier, earning a few gasps from the students. The loosened shards from the hanging ornament had not even begun their descent before Alexander's wrist flicked once more.

"Ouroborous restrictus."

Snape grunted, as a ghost-like serpent encircled him to grasp its own tail. It then constricted, pinning his arms to his sides. A look of both shock and outrage creased the raven-haired man's face. How did this CHILD of a man come to possess such power?

Alexander smirked, strolling towards his immobile foe, one hand still casually tucked into his trouser pocket, glass fragments from the damaged chandelier clattering around his feet. This was going to be TOO easy.

"Ahem."

The redhead paused in mid-stride, then turned his attention towards McGonagall, who was fixing him with a disapproving stare.

"Perhaps it would be prudent," She began, giving the surrounding students a cautious glance, "If you were to use the standard spell system for now, and not introduce them to magic that is…" She paused, nervously scratching the side of her head. "…before their time."

"Aww, man." Alexander sulked, shoulders sagging a bit. "I thought you said anything goes?"

"Well!" The wizened woman put on an air of indignancy. "I don't suppose you plan on any of these students facing off against you in the future, now?"

The redhead blew out a frustrated breath, temporarily levitating his bangs. He blinked once, pursing his lips. "I guess analog WOULD be more entertaining." With rapid flourish, Snape was then released from his otherwordly prison.

Seething slightly, the raven-haired man gritted his teeth and, taking advantage of the momentary distraction to let loose with his next spell.

"DEPULSO!"

The soundwave-like bolt coursed across the fighting area, but never reached its target. Instead, it slammed into the sandbags on the sidelines, the rebound from which knocked several students onto their backsides.

"I was right!" Alexander shouted jovially, attracting many eyes towards the ceiling. When they located him, he was perched atop the chandelier, knees bent, rocking it into sway. "This IS going to be MUCH more amusing!"

There were gasps aplenty as the professor's arm snaked out, severing the chandelier cord. Snape was quick to react. "Impedimenta!"

For a split second, the chandelier slowed to a crawl.

Alexander roared with laughter.

"DESCENDO!"

His raven-haired opponent had but a moment to dive out of the way before the heavy ornament came barreling down on his location, sending yet another cloud of glass shards into the air. Sputtering, Snape then clambered onto his feet, wand aimed in Alexander's direction.

"INCARCEROUS!"

A twining braid of snake-like chains appeared, streaking towards his opponent.

"Locomotor!" Alexander seemed to sing this, raising both arms high, as though imitating a conductor. The chandelier rose sharply to block the incoming chains, which became hopelessly entangled in the ornament's many layers.

Snape snorted, a sneer working its way into the corner of his lips as he readied himself for his next move.

"You tired yet?" The redhead taunted, winking. He brought both hands down sharply, gripping the edges of the chandelier. "Gegenstandtotum locomotor!"

There was a series of high-pitched cracks, and the chandelier exploded into life. The glassy offshoots slithered and straightened, finally bending themselves into what strongly resembled segmented spider legs. Shuddering and shaking, the metal beast then rose, earning a horrified squeal from a certain member of the Golden Trio.

"Amusing toy, professor." Snape growled, eyeballing Alexander's synthetic mount as it click-clacked towards him. "REDUCTO!"

The bolt sizzled forth. In the blink of an eye, the redheaded professor had retrieved something from his uniform pocket and flung it into the path of the spell. When spell and object collided, there was an explosion of smoke, which gradually began to spread outwards in a circular pattern.

Snape grunted, frustrated at the fact that his visibility had been temporarily cut. Thinking quickly, and not wanting Alexander to get the upper hand, he followed up with yet another spell.

"RELASHIO!"

A wide jet of sparks erupted from the end of his wand, covering most of the area immediately in front of him, the force from which also acted as a fan, clearing away some of the smoke.

The crowd began tossing their heads about in confusion, attempting to get a bead on Alexander's location. Others focused on waving the wandering smoke from their faces, only to join the ranks of the befuddled when a fine bluish mist persisted in lagging behind even after its thick grey counterpart had been fanned away.

"What IS this stuff?" Draco coughed, face scrunched in annoyance.

"HEY! Captain Crow's Feet!"

The heads of the crowd turned sharply, along with Snape's, once Alexander had finally betrayed his location atop one of the makeshift bunkers. The black-haired professor grinned smugly, aiming his wand. "So good of you to give away your location, professor. I had thought stealth may have been better to your advantage."

Alexander clicked his tongue, wagging one finger scoldingly. "Yooou might want to hold on to something." He tutted, pointing the same finger up towards the ceiling.

"Oh, god…" Hermione murmured, her hand absently feeling through the mist surrounding them. "I know what this-"

Her words were cut off, and replaced with shrieks of terror as everyone in the room was up-ended and sent spiraling skywards. Everyone that is, except professor Alexander himself, and a lone Slytherin girl, who seemed by all accounts to be completely unaffected by the phenomenon.

"Well, now." The redheaded professor remarked, casting a friendly smile towards the black-haired girl. "You're a sharp one, aren't you?"

"I learned from the best, didn't I?" She returned with a catty grin of her own, playfully rolling a jet-black bead in her fingers.

"FINITE INCANTATEM!" Snape roared from somewhere above them. As the room's occupants began their descent, he rapidly followed up with another slowing spell to cushion the landing. Once satisfied that everyone was safe, he turned his attention back sharply to his opponent, his face livid with outrage. "I see now. Thick as thieves, aren't you?" His eyes darted back and forth between Alexander and the girl. "I'd been wondering where that layabout got it from."

In an instant, Alexander's expression went nova with fury, his eyes transforming themselves into orbs of pure white.

"Like father, like-"

Snape's words died in his throat as Alexander's body was consumed by shadow. In a slipstream of smoke, the redhead seemed to disappear, only to reappear a millisecond later immediately in front of the black-haired man. The redhead's elbow flashed out, cracking Snape hard across the jaw.

Before he had a chance to fall, Alexander's other arm lurched forward, seizing the man by the throat. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "If you EVER talk rubbish about her again, I will make you WISH you were a Ken doll, UNDERSTAND?!"

A deathly silence had fallen over the crowd, despite their disorientation. To them, the professor's extreme shift in moods was not only a puzzle, but something they unconsciously felt compelled to witness.

After a few seconds, Alexander finally released his grip on Snape, flinging the man down onto his back. "I win." He continued, snarling. "Class dismissed."

*****

URASAI!

Alexander took his battle stance, then grunted in surprise when a young brunette boy suddenly detached himself from the crowd to cling to his trouser-leg.

"Deutschland! Deutschland!" The boy cried, face crumpled in dismay. "Dass homely Girl dort sagten, Sie hassen miiiiich!"

The redheaded man frowned, placing a hand upon the boy's head. "Awww, of course I don't hate you. We're a team, remember?"

The boy hiccupped, smearing the tears from his eyes with his shirt sleeve. "Wirklich? Sie bedeutet, daß sie?"

"Really, truly." Alexander smiled, pinching the boy's cheek. "She's just upset because the doctors haven't found a way to remove that cork from her vagina yet."

"Ooooh, brandwunde."


End file.
